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FAIRFIELD, CT (March 7, 2012) - Sacred Heart junior Emily Pepe scored three goals and assisted on four others but the Pioneers couldn't overcome a 14-4 halftime deficit and saw their second half rally fall short in a 16-12 loss to cross town rival Fairfield Wednesday afternoon on Campus Field. The Pioneers fall to 1-3 on the year while the Stags are now 3-1.

Fairfield dominated the first half, outshooting the Pioneers 23-13 and winning 13 of the 19 draws. The Stags jumpe out to a 3-0 lead seven minutes in and closed the half with three-straight to lead by ten at the break.

Melanie Raso scored her three goals in the first half, opening the scoring with the game's first goal just over five minutes in. Addie Reilly put the Stags up 3-0 at 23:13 but goals by Pepe and senior Katie Gerhard (Centennial, CO) cut the led to 3-2 with 21:05 left. Fairfield's Jenna Slowey, Courtney Chmil and Raso tacked on three more and put Fairfield up 6-2 with 14:57 on the clock.

SHU sophomore Kelsey Russo (Lindenhurst, NY) hit on an 8-meter attempts at 12:44 but the Stags ran off an 8-1 run over the final 12:14 to carry a commanding 14-4 lead into the half. SHU's Kaitlin Rochler (Wading River, NY) scored her first of three goals at 4:04 to break up the run.

Fairfield's Reilly tacked on her third of the game to start the second half, scoring unassisted 1:40 into play. The Pioneers began chipping away as Rochler started a five-goal rally at 23:40, scoring her second from Pepe. Senior Alyssa Dorsey (Farmindale, NY), senior Aurelie Pluijmakers (Freehold, NJ), Russo and Pepe all scored on the rally to pull the Pioneers within 15-9 with 14:06 left.

Katie Carroll converted a Raso pass to stop the bleeding for Fairfield 40 seconds later, her first of the season, for a 16-9 lead. SHU freshman Taylor Babin (Ellicot City, MD) scored at 11:34 to pull within 16-10. Rochler buried her third at 9:43, again from Pepe, and then returned the favor setting her up for her third with 4:35 left to pull within 16-12. The Pioneers would get no closer as a pair of turnovers down the stretch thwarted the rally.

The Pioneers are back in action next Friday, March 16th when they play host to Connecticut at 3:00 pm on Campus Field.